PPC IDEAS

E-Bulletin, Issue 7


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Water Scarcity - How will it impact development?

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The New Economy of Water: The Risks and Benefits of Globalization and Privatization of Fresh Water

This comprehensive report looks at the dangers and benefits of water privatization, offers case studies from around the world, and sets forth principles designed to help guide privatization deals. The authors state that governments must establish clear guidelines that ensure fair access to water regardless of income, protect the environment, ensure transparency, and include affected parties in decision-making efforts. Water is far too important to human health and the environment to be placed entirely in the private sector.

Gleick, Peter H. , Gary Wolff, Elizabeth L. Chalecki, Rachel Reyes. "Tje New Economy of Water: The Risks and Benefits of Globalization and Privatization of Fresh Water," Pacific Institute for Studies in Development, Environment, and Security, February 2002.

Dehydrating Conflict

Talk of water wars reverberates around the globe these days. United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan said last March that fierce competition for fresh water may well become a source of conflict and wars in the future, and a recent report of the US National Intelligence Council concludes that the likelihood of interstate conflict will increase during the next 15 years as countries press against the limits of available water. Some dismiss these warnings as alarmist, and history seems to be on their side. Others argue that when it comes to water the past will not be a reliable guide to the future. A renewable but not finite resource, fresh water is becoming increasingly scarce. The amount available to the world today is almost the same as it has always been, even as global demand has steadily increased.

Postel, Sandra and Aaron Wolf. "Dehydrating Conflict," Foreign Policy. Washington: Issue 126, September / October 2001.

Effective Water Governance

The development of a governance framework for water distribution enables both the private and public sectors to deal with water issues.  The author stresses the importance of aligning legal reform with financial and economic practices, as well as developing global water management institutions that are able to build and maintain trust between stakeholders who have different levels of authority.

Rogers, Peter and Alan Hall. "Effective Water Governance," Global Water Partnership Technical Committee, February 2003.

Water Scarcity: An Alternative View and Its Implications for Policy and Capacity Building

This article explores scarcity and emphasizes the importance of understanding the concept properly in order to come up with effective solutions.  The authors argue that water scarcity should be defined according to three orders of scarcity that require physical, economic and social adaptation.  Looking at scarcity as merely a physical matter limits policymaking and approaches for capacity building.

Wolfe, Sarah and David Brooks, "Water Scarcity: An Alternative View and Its Implications for Policy and Capacity Building," National Resource Forum Journal, May 2003.